A.M. NEWS THURSDAY 7-17-14

New York state will partner with General Electric and more than 100 companies, universities and public authorities to develop & manufacture new materials for semi conductors. New work will spend $135 million dollars to help establish the new effort, which will be housed at SUNY Albany. Private companies will spend another $365 Million dollars over 5 years, the partnership will be led by GE, and will house companies that will research & produce wafers made of silicon carbide, which is more heat resistant than tradition silicon wafers, and can be produced at a lower cost.
—————————
State comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that the public has a right to know how their money is being spent in the New York open for business campaign. Governor Cuomo announced the campaign last year, as a way to lure tourists to upstate. Last march, the empire state development revealed they spend $15.2 million dollars during the previous 3 months on an ad campaign for “Start Up New York”, an initiative that offers tax free zones for new businesses locating upstate, and had nothing to promote tourism.
—————————-
Chris Gibson announced today that his campaign raised $819,000 in the second quarter of 2014, over $330,000 more than he has raised in any quarter since first running for Congress. By contrast, Democratic candidate Sean Eldridge raised only $396,000 in the 2nd quarter and then gave himself another $375,000, bringing the total he has directly invested into his campaign to $1.34 million. The Gibson campaign has $1.91 million on hand for the 2014 election.
—————————–
Nearly 170 new Troopers will be honored for completing the 201st session of the State Police Academy during graduation exercises this morning at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. Locally, Troopers Rebecca Covey, Jason Zhang & Kenju Strunkey will be assigned to Troop C.
—————————-